Piano lamp with adjustable support



May 15, 1951 M. HERR PIANO LAMP WITH ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1946 INVENTOR. IXIAX HERR W {rm May 15, 1951 HERR PIANO LAMP WITH ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FLed April 8, 1946 Z l .l n. l l1 5 Z 4 9 9 3 F /vr a Lgfiir i A] 4 n a w a K INVENTOR. MAX HERR Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIANO LAMPWITH ADJUSTABIEEJSUPPORT Max Hem. Chicago, 111..

Application- April -8; I946, SerialNdS 660,500

Claims. :..(Cl. 240.- 4

This invention relates in general to electric '3 lamps and lamp supportingmeans which are particularly designed for use in connection with grand pianos, whereby means is afforded ior illuminating music sheets on the music support or rack without subjecting the performers eyes to glare.

This invention has for its salient object to provide a lamp of the character described in my Patent #2,290,282 issuedJuly 21, 1942, and including a simple and effective means for supporting said lamp upon that portion-of a sounding-board of a grand pianowhich extends in front of the music 'rack, so that the lamp support positions the lamp and reflector'in a position to fioodthe music onsaid rack with sufficient light-to facilitate the'reading of the "music on-the-piano.

This invention furthermore com-prehends a supporting means for lamps and consisting-eta plate'pivotally secured to-the bottom "ofa lamp housinghaving openings *for' receiving threaded screws with adj ustablesupporting -legs mounted- This invention furthermore comprehends sup-, porting means'for lamps adapted to rest upon-the sounding-board-of a grand piano and held in place by being arrangedbetweenthe-wrest pins or tuningpins projecting upwardly fromthat por" tion of the sounding-board extending in frontof the" music rack.-

This inventiorrfurthermore comprehends means for adjusting the lamp supporting means" to take various positionswhe'reby they will 'fitbetweenthetuning pins of th'epiano and also means for adjusting the lamp'casing and housinghorizontally with respect tothe music rack and-keyboardthereof The invention furthermore contemplates "'a piano lamp unit comprising a fluorescent lamp or a gaseous electric discharge lamp consisting of-a tubular glass container provided at opposite ends withfilamentary thermionic electrodes," said con-' tainer being closed'by metal discssealed to'each' end thereof and with an electrode "mounted" on" each of said discs and" electrically connected thereto, the disc being shaped" topengage'with suitable holders for theimounting of said lamp. This lamp is adapted to receive a hood or reflector which is preferably constructed of sheet metal and comprises a cylindrical bodylwhich is nortov mally arranged horizontally and of substantially the same length asv the .glass container, said. re-.

flector partially encircling .said. lampand provid.-

ing in one side a longitudinal lightoutlet .open-v ing, said reflector being adjustably mountedxupomn saidlampszbulb.

The: invention;stilliurthermore contemplates. a' I: piano lamp construction which is comparatively. 5 simple, inexpensive:to:.manufacture and highly efficient in its purpose.

These and numerous other objects Iaccomplish; by the .means and in the mannerzhereinaftera; fully described. and as "more particularly pointed out'in thevclaims', .reference being had to the act-1 companying drawing forming a part of this specification; wherein:

Fig. :1 is a perspective view of a grandpiano w equipped with one form of electric lamp embody- 1 ing my invention and also showing the position of -said lamp with relation to the music rack on said piano;

Fig; 2 is a plan view: of a grand piano With-a portion broken away toshow the -wrest pins or tuning pins extending'above the sounding-board r1 and having a lamp arranged and supported thereabove.- a

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the piano sounding board showingtuning pins and piano wires with lamp supporting-legs arrangedbetween said pins.

Fig. 4 is a view-showing the bottom of the lamp housing with supporting legs arranged in normal position; rubber members 52 removed- Fig. 5 is a detail view-of the bracket plate and screws used to support the novel adjustable legs-=- embodied in 'thi's invention.

Fig. 6 is an end view of bracket and pins shown" Fig'.-l0'is a sideview of the knurled 'lock-nutwhich is used-to lock the adjustable 'leg-member in desired position once it is arranged upona piano;-

Fig.1.;l1 is a top view 'ofnthekn urled lock-nut showninFig'. 10. i

Fig. .12.is a vertical section through the bottom of: a :lamp' housing showing the bracket, :pin,

knurled=nut and leg member in assembled position. 7

Fig. 1315 a; view:.similar.to Fig. :12 and showing important parts in section.

Fig. .14. is a view taken substantially on'zline.

-44 of Fig. 3 withparts broken away.

Like reference ..characters. designateacorreet spending parts throughout the several .ViBWSIZT Specifically idescribing.xtheiillustratedt embodi-r support l5, associated with the, grand piano It.

The piano lamp unit is providedwith a fluorescent lamp bulb H provided at opposite ends with filamentary thermionic electrodes consist-.

The various ing of finely coiled tungsten wire. parts and electrical units hav'eibleen'fides'cribed in' my issued Patent #2290382. Said bulb Hand parts are suitably supported'and housed by lamp housing E8. The housing is equipped witha snapswitch and manually operated button [9 at one end thereof, said housing adapted to receive the extension cord which extends through the opposite end thereof.

The grand piano of general standard construction to which the invention is applied has been designated l5 and includes the usual string plate and'scunding board 2| with tuning pins 22, said tuning pins being threaded into the plate in the.

usual manner so that they can be turned forthe purpose of regulatingthe tension of the strings. The piano lamp housing It in accordance with the general features of this invention is supported above the pins 22 with its supporting legs 24' positioned betwen the pins 22 and supported by said sounding board 2| whereby it does not come in contact with nor is'it mounted upon the cross metal and ccmprises a cylindrical body 26 which is normally arranged horizontally and provided in its rear side with a longitudinal light outlet 1 The housing 18 is constructed with a bottom plate 33 and it is provided with four openings 35, 32, 33 and 34 and bolt holes 35-and 36. The

supporting legs 24 are mounted upon threaded members 38, 39, 59 and 5!; members 38 and 3% attached to bracket plate 62 and members 43 and 4! attached to bracket plate 43. and 43 have bolts 44 and 45 secured thereto respectively, said bolt 44 to be inserted through hole 35 to receive a nut 36 whereby the bracket 42 may be pivoted in order that the supporting legs 24 assembled on screws 38 and 39 may be turned to any desired position with respect to the tuning pins of the piano. Said bolt 25 is similar to ,bolt M5 and may be inserted through hole 38 to, re- I ceive a nut d? whereby the bracket 43' may be pivoted in order that the supporting legs 2d assembled on screws 49 and il may be turned to any desired position. The supporting legs 24 have internal threads to fit with and upon theth'readed members 33, 3s, 48 and 4!. The tuning pins on pianos are of various heights and for this reason the supporting legs it! must be adjusted upon members 38, 39, 45) and M to give the proper length to the supporting members whereby the lamphousing will be supported above the pins as described above. In order to keep the sup: porting members at'theproperlength, a knurled Said plates 52 4 look nut 50 is placed upon each of the members 38, 39, 4t and M between the legs 24 and respective brackets. By this arrangement each lock-nut may be turned into contact with the adjacent leg 5 as shown in' Figure 12 to secure said leg 24 in locked position. Said legs 24 have a hollow portion 5! in the lower end thereof in which is inserted rubber members 52 whereby the metal portion of the legs is spacedfrorn the metal sounding board of the piano to prevent vibrations. 7 a

It is important to note that this novel piano "lamp and improvements relate more particularly 1 to the lamp and its adjustable supporting legs whereby the lamp is detachably Supp rted on the --sounding board without drilling or marring the piano at any secton'. In applying the lamp it is only necessary to'place the lamp housing above the tuning pins in front of the music rack and adjust the supporting legs so that they will slip past and down between'said tuning'pins so that said legs will rest upon the sounding board thereof. The lamp is heavy enough to remain in its location once it is so placed. It can always be removed by simply lifting the entire lamp upor any other part of the piano. r I

Owing to; the compact and neat construction i this lamp, the same when mounted on a piano does not detract from the appearance of the piano but rather enhances the same;

It is obvious that the invention above described may be embodied in other details of construction without departing from the spirit onscopeof the invention. Therefore, I do not desire to be limited in the construction and use of the invention except as required by the following claims. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: a 7 7 1. In combination with a grand piano having a sounding-board, tuning pins, and a music rack, of a lamp fixture comprising a rectangular shaped, horizontally arranged housing for enclosing the lamp auxiliaries, a pair of brackets pivoted to the base of said housing, said housing being adjustable in a horizontal plane with said brackets, one bracket mounted near each end of said housing, and a pair of hollow vertical su'p porting legs secured to each of said brackets, said. supporting legs being long enough to rest upon said sounding board between the tuning pins and supportsaid housing above said pins, said housing supporting an electric bulb and a reflector which extends horizontally and in the direction of the length of the music rack on said piano, said reflector provided with a longitudinal light emitting opening arranged with respect to said music rack to flood the same with sufiicient light to facilitate reading the music placed upon the rack 0 of the piano.

2. A lamp for a grand piano, having a sounding board with a music rack arrangedthereabove and tuning pins installed thereon and arranged in front of said rack, comprising a rectangular shaped, horizontally arranged housing enclosing electrical means and having an extension cord attached therewith, with means mounted thereon to receive and support a lamp bulb and a light reflector connected therewith, a pair one bracket mounted near each end thereof, and a pair of hollow vertical supporting legs secured to each-of said'brackets, whereby said housing can be supported above said sounding board, said,

'15 housing being angularly adjustable in a horizonwardly as it is not secured to the sounding board;

of brackets pivoted to the base of said housing,

tal plane with said bracket, and said legs being vertically adjustable with respect to said bracket, whereby said legs may be lengthened and arranged between said tuning pins, said legs including locking means to provide the housing with a rigid support of desired height above said sounding board.

3. A piano lamp comprising a rectangular shaped lamp housing, a pair of brackets therefor, and a pair of supporting legs carried by each bracket for horizontally supporting the housing above the piano sounding board, said housing having pivoted connections with the brackets, said housing being angularly adjustable in a horizontal plane with said brackets, said supporting legs being vertically arranged and adjustable in length with respect to said brackets, said supporting legs being long enough to rest upon said sounding board and between the usual tuning pins associated with said piano sounding board.

4. A grand piano lamp comprising a rectangular shaped, horizontally arranged lamp housing having means to support a lamp bulb before a music rack upon the piano, a pair of brackets pivotally connected with the base of said housing, said housing being angularly adjustable in a horizontal plane with said brackets, one bracket arranged at each end thereof, a pair of threaded studs rigidly secured to each of said brackets, and a pair of adjustable hollow vertical legs threaded upon and depending from said studs, said legs adapted to pass between the tuning pins screwed into the sounding board of the piano in front of said music rack with the tips of said legs bearing with load-transferring engagement upon said sounding board.

5'. The combination with a grand piano sounding board having tuning pins thereon and in front of the music rack combined with the piano, of a piano lamp comprising a rectangular shaped lamp housing, said housing having a pair of pivoted brackets secured thereto, said housing being angularly adjustable in a horizontal plane with said brackets, one bracket positioned near each end of said housing, said brackets having a pair of bolts depending therefrom, said bolts having hollow vertical supporting legs adjustaloly depending therefrom, said legs disposed in spaced relation and engaging said board only at points between said tuning pins for supporting said housing above said pins.

MAX HERR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,394,788 Potstada Oct. 25, 1921 1,914,009 Currie June 13, 1933 2,268,288 Kiefer Dec. 30, 1941 2,290,282 Herr July 21, 1942 2,320,815 Cushing June 11, 1943 2,342,625 Brooks Feb. 29, 1944 

